Successful rehabilitation in patients with chronic disease

Abstract

The aim of medical intervention in patients suffering from chronic diseases is to maintain a life of quality. Patients who have undergone coronary artery bypass surgery provide a good example of an intervention that will not necessarily result in the prolongation of life but the improved quality of life. Rehabilitation outcome should focus on the improved quality of life and the issue of who should be responsible for maintaining improved quality of life. In order to determine if self-responsibility was an aspect of improved quality of life 73 subjects and their spouses were followed up over a period of one year. Self-responsibility was identified as a significant variable (p=0.003) in patients with improved quality of life. Based on the evidence provided by this study it was concluded that unless patients accepted responsibility for their rehabilitation they would not have an improved quality of life.